Remittance envelope



Jam-3, 1939. F. w. RANDOLF'II` 2,142,3374

REMITTANCE ENVELOPE Filed Aug.v 21, 1936 AMOUNT ENCLO-IED I Il IZ I3JANUARY Patented Jan. 3, 1939 UNITED ST 1 RERHTTANCE ENVELOPE IllinoisApplication August 2l, 1936, Serial No. Q'LZii)l 3 Claims.

-This invention relates to improvements in remittance envelope, and oneof the objects of the invention is to provide an improved envelope ofthis character which is adapted for use in making remittances orpayments at regular intervals and which envelope will form a completerecord of the remittance and also a record of payment date and of allinformation regarding the particular transaction.

The envelope is especially adapted'for use by all concerns doingbusiness on periodical installments, or deferred payments running over aspecied period of time, and inasmuch as the transactions in connectionwith which the envelopes are to be employed require payments at a timecertain, the present invention provides a combined remittance coupon ortab or form and return envelope by means of the use of which and theconvenience of the combination and arrangement of the parts, thepayments or remittances will be accelerated and errors will be avoided.At the same time the handling of the accounts in the ofce of the concernemploying such envelopes Will be greatly facilitated.

A further object is to provide a combined return remittance envelope andform, having certain records thereon placed in such a manner that whenthe envelope is sealed, such record will be concealed by the sealingflap.

The said flap when severed from the body of the envelope to open theenvelope, will still be attached to the envelope, but to another portionthereof, and will be adapted tobe folded back to expose the record, theflap constituting a coupon or form having data concerning thetransaction carried by that face of the flap which Will be concealedwhen the Aenvelope is sealed, but will be expose-d when the ilapis cutto open the envelope and then folded back to expose such face. The napforms an integral part of the envelope before the latter is sealed, andwill be attached to another portion of the envelope by the sealingthereof, when severed to open the envelope.

Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, in which latter- Figure l is a perspective view of a pluralityof remittance envelopes embodying the features of this invention withthe sealing flap open exposing a portion of the record to be producedwhen making a remittance, with the account number and payment Idateindicated thereon.

Figure 2 is a View of the address face of the envelope shown in Figure1.

vFigure 3 is a View of the same face of the envelope as shown in Figurel, after the iiap has been sealed to make the remittance, and thensevered to open the envelope, with the ilap forming a coupon or formsealed to another portion and folded back to expose the record which wasconcealed by the iap during the transit of the envelope.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, of a portion of an envelopehaving a modied form and arrangement of the record data thereon.

Figure 5 is a View similar to Figure l having still another modied formand arrangement of the record data thereon.

In carrying this invention into operation, each f i of the envelopes Iiiis provided `with a flap li of a suitable size having a scored orfolding line i2, which latter is spaced a substantial distance from thefolding line I3. The line i2 is also spaced from the free edge ll of theapto proj vide a space i5 in which is provided a suitable sealingmaterial such as is usually employed on the flaps of envelopes to sealthem shut.

The flap of each envelope is provided on its inner face with a day datearea i6 Idivided into s a number of divisions corresponding to thenumber of days in each month and which divisions are numbered andsuitably arranged. In the drawing thirty divisions representing thirtydays are shown, but it is to be understood that any number of suchdivisions and day indications may be provided.

This day date area i5 is preferably arranged across the flap and isclose proximity to the folding line i3 and is preferably of a shape to rprovide a space or area i'i of substantial size between the day datearea l5 and the proximate edge of the given containing area l5 of theflap, that is, below the line i2.

This space Il may appropriately be designated with any suitable legen-di3 such as Account Number either written in full or appropriatelyabbreviated, and in the space il the account number is adapted to beplaced by the concernA which issues the envelopes in any suitable man- Iner, such as by writing, stamping, perforating, etc.

The account number may be applied to the space il! of the naps ci eachof the envelopes in .l

plied with the account number such as designated at I9.

On the body of the envelope below the folding line I3 of the lap II, andout of the range of the gummed or sealing portion or area I5 of theflap, may be arranged any other suitable indicia to form a part of therecord of the transaction or remittance, such for instance as a month orperiod designation 20, and any other indicia, such as a suitablydesignated space 2|, in which the amount of the remittance contained inthe envelope is to be entered either by the sender or the receiver. Y

One of these envelopes is provided for each month and on the face of theenvelope the return address 22 and space 23 for the senders name andaddress are provided, the latter forming a part of the record of thetransaction, so that all the sender has to do is to put his name andaddress in the space 23, and if desired, ll in the space 2| with theamount of the remittance, the latter before sealing down the flap II.

The number of envelopes to be used in each transaction is determined bythe number of deferred payments which are to be made.

Assuming that twelve payments are to be made, one during each month,then twelve envelopes, each with their specific month designation I6,will be employed.

Assuming that the rst remittance is to be made on January 3rd, twelveenvelopes, one for each month may be arranged in a package with theflaps Il open and superposed, so that the account number I9 may besimultaneously applied. This is accomplished by inserting the aps into aperforating machine and perforating the number designated by the numeralI9 into the flap. While the envelopes are thus assembled, the numeral 3in the day date area I8 of the iirst month may then be perforated orpunched as at I6, and as all of the respective day dates for thesuccessive months on the remaining eleven envelopes are in register Withthat on the rst envelope, the same day in the different months on therespective envelope aps will be simultaneously punched. 'Ihe resultbeing that all of the envelopes are simultaneously provided with theaccount number as well as the month day designation.

Obviously, the iirst envelope to be used will be the one representingthe month in which the first remittance is to be made, and the remainingenvelopes will be arranged serially, that is, by successive monthdesignations.

The remitter should first enter in the space 2I the amount of theremittance he encloses in the envelope, then seal the ilap I5 and writehis name in the space 23 on the face of the envelope, apply thenecessary stamp and mail the same. This necessitates very little work onthe part of the sender in making his remittance, but at the same timeand by his acts, a complete record as far as the sender is concerned hasbeen made, which record is concealed and remains concealed until theenvelope is opened by the addressee.

Upon receipt of the envelope and remittance by the addressee, theenvelope is opened by cutting the flap II along the line I3, severingone edge of the ap from the envelope, thereby transforming the flap froma sealing ilap into a coupon tab or form which remains attached to theenvelope by the gummed or sealing area I5.

The tab II may then be folded down or back upon the line I2, as shown inFigure 3, so as to expose all of that portion of the record of thetransaction which was concealed by the flap II before the ilap becamedetached or severed along the line I3.

The flap I I, which has been transformed by this operation into a tab,becomes a part of the record and will be permanently attached to theenvelope, with the result that by reason of the convenience andarrangement of the parts and the data, all cooperating with each other,not only a permanent record is formed, but remittances or payments willbe accelerated, and errors will be avoided.

Furthermore, the handling of the accounts in the oiiice of the addresseewill be facilitated and the loss of any paper or record which entersinto or forms a part of the remittance transaction will be prevented.

If desired the envelopes of any series or from any remittancetransaction may be temporarily held in assembled relation, forconvenience in handling, in any suitable manner.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 4, the month or perioddesignation 211 and the day date area 25 are both arranged on the innerface of the ilap 26, While the space 2'I for the account number isarranged on the body of the envelope, with instructions to the remitterto insert his account number thereon, and these are both positioned tobe concealed or covered when the ilap is sealed down.

In the form shown in Figure 5, the account number 28 is also arranged onthe body of the envelope and in a position to be concealed or covered bythe ilap 29 and the month designation 30 and day date area 3l arearranged on the flap.

If desired, and in either of the forms of the invention, after theenvelope has been opened by the payee, by severing along the line I3,instead of allowing the flap to remain attached to the envelope by theadhesive portion I5, the tab may be severed along the line I2, to form aseparate record. This mode of use would be particularly advantageouswith the forni of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 3, Where theaccount number is displayed upon the tab.

All forms of the invention are to be employed in the same manner.

If desired and in order tomaintain the envelopes in a package, anencircling band 32 may be employed for that purpose. Obviously theenvelopes may be arranged in any successive order from the rst or outerenvelope, which latter is marked with the month designation Z,indicating the rst month during which the first remittance is to bemade.

While the preferred forms of the invention have been herein shown anddescribed in much detail, it is to be understood that the data andpositioning of the same may be changed both upon the body of theenvelope and the seaiing ilap from that specifically shown and describedherein, all Without departing from this invention, and are all to beconsidered to be within the spirit of this invention, and Within thescope of the claims.

What is claimed as new is:

l. A remittance envelope embodying a pocket and a closure ilap, said aphaving indicia on the inner face thereof and adapted to be folded andsealed to obscure said indicia, the sealing area being disposed beyondsaid indicia, said ilap adapted to be severed to open the pocket butremaining attached by its sealed portion to the envelope when thussevered, said ap having also indicated thereon a fold-back line andadapted when severed to open the envelope to be folded back up said lineagainst the sealed face of the envelope to expose the said indicia, theindicia being exposed when the flap is either unsealed or severed andfolded back and being in the same direction with relation to the openedge of the envelope in both the unsealed and severed and folded backpositions of the iiap.

2. A remittance envelope embodying a pocket and a closure ap, said flaphaving indicia on the inner face thereof and adapted to be folded andsealed to obscure said indicia, the sealing area being disposed beyondsaid indicia, said flap adapted to be severed to open the pocket butremaining attached by its sealed portion to the envelope when thussevered, said flap provided with a scored line along which the flap whensevered to open the envelope is adapted to be folded back and againstthe sealed face of the envelope to expose the said indicia, the indiciabeing exposed when the flap is either unsealed or severed and foldedback and being in the saine direction with relation to the open edge ofthe envelope in both the unsealed and severed and folded back positionsof the flap.

3. A remittance envelope embodying a pocket and a closure flap, saidflap having indicia on the inner face thereof and adapted to be foldedand sealed to obscure said indicia, sealing material on the flapproviding a clearly defined sealing area, one edge of said areaconstituting a fold-back line along which the flap, when severed to openthe envelope, is adapted to be folded back and against the sealed faceof the envelope to expose the said indicia, the indicia being exposedwhen the ap is either unsealed or severed and folded back and being inthe same direction with relation to the open edge of the envelope inboth the unsealed and the severed and folded back positions of the flap.

FRED W. RANDOLPH.

